Improvement in enameling jewelry and other articles



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE KREBS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN ENAMELING JEWELRY AND OTHER ARTICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,308, dated April30, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE KREBS, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improved Process for EnamelingSheet-Metal and other Articles; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable thoseskilled in the art to make and use the same.

This invention consists in applying the enamel to the articles to beenameled in a dry, powderedstate, and then exposing the same to heatuntil the enamel is partially melted, in such a manner that the enameledsurface presents a dull or frozen appearance, producing an entirelydifferent effect from the ordinary bright enameled surfaces, and,furthermore, much time and labor are saved.

In carrying out my invention I prepare the articles to be enameled inthe usual manner, and on the surface to be enameled I spread the enamelin a dry, powdered state, and then expose the article to heat, takingcare to allow the enamel to become fluid only in part. To effect thispurpose, and to hit the exact moment when the article must be withdrawnfrom the fire, requires great attention and practice; but if the enamelis fluxed precisely to the desired point, and not further, the enameledsurface presents a dull or frozen appearance, which, when exposed torays of light, shows a large number of glittering points or specks,produced by the particles of enamel which have not melted.

By these means I am enabled to make enameled articles which have a noveland distinguishing appearance, and, furthermore, I can save much timeand labor; for, in order to produce enameled articles with a brightsurface as generally made, the enamel, after having been applied to thesurface to be enameled, is first rendered fluid, then the surface isground, and finally the article is again heated until the enamel becomesfluid and assumes the required surface. By my process the articles to beenameled have to be heated only once, and the labor of grinding off theenameled surface is saved.

In enameling a convex or round surface I moisten or dampen the surfaceto be enameled in a very slight degree--as, for instance, by breathingon it--to prevent the powdered material from dropping off; and I alsouse for this purpose a brush or other suitable apparatus moistened orwet with gum-water or gelatine, or other sticky substances. This is notnecessary on flat surfaces.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The within-described process of producin g on sheet metal or otherarticles a dull or frozen enameled surface by spreading the enamel onthe surface to be enameled in a dry, powdered state and then heating thearticle until the enamel becomes partially fluid, as set forth.

2. A plate of sheet metal or other article provided with a dull orfrozen enameled surface, produced by spreading the enamel thereon in adry state and then subjecting the whole to heat until the enamel hasbecome partially fluid, substantially as described.

G. KREBS.

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. G. KASTENHUBER.

